India Orders Enhanced Safety Inspections on Air India's Boeing 787 Fleet After Crash

Strategic Insights -

India's aviation regulator, the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA), has ordered Air India to conduct enhanced safety inspections on its Boeing 787-8/9 fleet following the country's worst aviation disaster in a decade. The inspection, which will include checks of various systems and a review of take-off parameters, must be conducted in coordination with the regional DGCA office concerned. The DGCA also told the airline to address "repetitive snags" that occurred during the last 15 days and review incidents on the Dreamliner over the past fortnight.

Key Takeaways:

  • The DGCA has ordered Air India to conduct enhanced safety inspections on its Boeing 787-8/9 fleet due to the country's worst aviation disaster in a decade.
  • The inspection will include checks of various systems, review of take-off parameters, and review of incidents on the Dreamliner over the past fortnight.
  • The DGCA has also ordered the airline to address "repetitive snags" that occurred during the last 15 days.
  • Air India has 26 Boeing 787-8s and 7 Boeing 787-9s in its fleet.
  • The jet involved in Thursday's crash was equipped with GE Aerospace's GEnx-18 engines.
  • The airline is required to conduct a series of one-time checks before departure of flights from India, including inspection of fuel parameter monitoring and associated system checks, inspection of cabin air compressor and associated systems, electronic engine control-system test, engine fuel-driven actuator-operational test, and oil system check.
  • The regulator has also ordered 'Flight Control Inspection' to be introduced in transit inspection till further notice apart from having power assurance checks within two weeks.

Statistics:

  • 260 people were killed in the accident.
  • 241 passengers and crew on board were killed.
  • More than 20 people on the ground were killed in the accident.
  • The jet involved in the crash was equipped with GE Aerospace's GEnx-18 engines.
  • Air India has 26 Boeing 787-8s and 7 Boeing 787-9s in its fleet.

Sources:

  • Hindustan Times, "India's aviation regulator orders Air India to conduct enhanced safety inspections on Boeing 787 fleet after crash" (no date listed)